1. Field of the Invention
The present application claims priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-93967 filed on Apr. 20, 2011, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
The invention relates to an electrical wire jacketing configuration enabling an electrical wire disposed inside electric junction box to slidably engage with the body portion of the electric junction box, with the electrical wire being fixed to the electrical wire jacketing configuration.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a wide variety of electrical wire jacketing configurations for an electric junction box have been proposed for downwardly and outwardly leading a terminal-attached electrical wire along the electrical wire jacketing configuration which is slidingly attached to the recess formed in the side wall of the electric junction box.
In accordance with JP 2006-320131 (A) (not shown), a recessed groove is formed in the outer wall of the insulating resin body portion of an electric junction box; a terminal having an electrical wire attached thereto is connected to a connecting portion inside the body by screw fastening; left and right slidable engaging portions of a synthetic resin side cover (i.e., a cover for an electrical wire) slidably engage with left and right sliding grooves (i.e., guide portions) of the recessed groove; and the electrical wire having the terminal attached thereto is fixed via band to an intervening wall of the side cover. For more detail, see JP 2006-320131 (A), FIGS. 1 and 2.
In accordance with JP 2010-41808 (A) (not shown), a recess is formed in the side wall of synthetic resin case (i.e., body portion) of an electric junction box; a terminal having an electrical wire attached thereto is connected to a male-screw type terminal portion inside the case by means of screw fastening; left and right ribs (i.e., slidable engaging portions) of an electrical wire jacketing configuration slidably engages with left and right grooves (i.e., guide portions) of the recess; and the electrical wire having the terminal attached thereto is leaded along an arc-like guide groove of the electrical wire jacketing configuration. Subsequently, the electrical wire jacketing configuration is treated with elastic sheet for the prevention of water penetration. For more detail, see JP 2010-41808 (A), FIGS. 1, 6, and 12.
However, in the afore-mentioned conventional electrical wire jacketing configuration, in a case where the thickness of the guide portion of the recess formed in the body of the electric junction box or the slidable engaging portion of the electrical wire jacketing configuration is made relatively thin, the electrical wire jacketing configuration may be erroneously forced to mate with the recess in a horizontal direction by a worker or operator. However, in fact, the electrical wire jacketing configuration should be downward slided in a vertical direction so as to engage with the recess. Otherwise, even if the thickness of the slidable engaging portion or guide portion is enough, the electrical wire jacketing configuration may be erroneously forced to sidlingly mate with the recess, not in a vertical direction. In other words, one of the slidable engaging portions would incompletely mate with the guide portion. In this case, the slidable engaging portion of the electrical wire jacketing configuration and/or the guide portion of the recess may be damaged, or the electrical wire jacketing configuration may be deviated or disconnected from the afore-mentioned incomplete assembly.
Moreover, in order to fix or lock the electrical wire jacketing configuration to the recess of the body of the electric junction box, a locking means such as a locking arm, a locking piece and a locking projection must be formed in the electrical wire jacketing configuration. As a result, the electrical wire jacketing configuration becomes more complex, and a die for (resin) molding or forming such locking means becomes more complex, thus giving a cost-consuming job.
Furthermore, in order to prevent or protect liquid such as water from upward penetration into the electric junction box along an electrical wire having a terminal attached thereto, the use of elastic seal has been generally needed, thereby rendering the structure more complex and cost-consuming.